The Haslanti Gods of Dreams
The Triad of Dreams is also not well understood by outsiders. To the Haslanti, the three dream-spirits are not exclusively gods of sleep and daydreams, but watch over both fears and aspirations. * Owl From Out of the East is a great horned owl of enormous size, with a wingspan of eight or nine feet. In ancient times, Owl was an attendant upon a god of law among the Outwall tribes. Now, he is a power in his own right, as the spirit who watches over following through. He rewards individuals who take it upon themselves to heed their dreams, committing time and effort to achieve them. The Haslanti see him as a divinity of prosperity and call on him to aid them in business, in law and in their social life. Owl from out of the East manifests as an enormous horned owl with a nine-foot wingspan. He once served the Horned Judge, a venerable god of law and oaths among the Outwall tribes, and was promoted and installed in the Ennead a mere 50 years ago. Owl is the Haslanti god of consummation and completion, rewarding those who strive to achieve their dreams. His worshipers see him as a divinity of prosperity and call upon him to aid them in business, law and social endeavors. Owl promotes the value of good, just laws, for an orderly society gives the best chance for many people to realize their dreams. He punishes magistrates who do not interpret laws honestly and citizens who do not obey them. Owl also tells the Haslanti to develop careful and prudent plans for realizing their dreams and then to stick to them. Mortals pray to Owl for inspiration, that they may find clever ideas and solutions in their problems. Owl particularly admires the Haslanti engineers and visits the air boat shipyards at least once a year. Sanctum: Owl from out of the East returns to the House of the Nine Hearths of Emerald and Silver periodically. Being ever watchful, he does not otherwise maintain a sanctum. Motivation: To make sure that mortals follow their plans to completion. * Carrion Crow is an old, pale, naked woman with the head of a crow and black feathers sprouting from her wrists. She is often found feasting on dead elk or reindeer crawling with maggots. She is charged with the sending of nightmares and winter terrors, and both disease and famine are in her charge. As Master Winter’s daughter, she is regarded as a spring goddess, when the winter is over but when new food is not yet available and stored food becomes old. She watches over old resentments, nursed grudges and domestic violence. Some soldiers seek her protection in battle. Carrion Crow is the Haslanti goddess of nightmares and winter terrors, as well as disease, famine and murder. She watches over old resentments, nursed grudges and domestic violence, and eases the aged and infirm toward death. Carrion Crow is Master Winter’s daughter. The Haslanti consider her a springtime goddess, as she consumes the carrion left after the winter thaw. At the first sign of spring, her worshipers leave her rotten food from their winter larders outside their doors. In this way, Carrion Crow helps limit the spread of disease. Some tribes pray for her aid in battle (imagining that she has some connection to Voharun) or for protection against sickness. Haslanti who declare blood feuds or carry lesser hatreds must disclose their resentment to Carrion Crow and pray for her blessing and for advice. Carrion Crow records these disclosures in her black books. Carrion Crow favors mortals who diligently report their disagreements (even if they never act on them) and who deal responsibly with carrion. Mortals who do not want to carry their grudges to the point of violence can ask Carrion Crow to chastise their enemy through a nightmare. Many a vendetta is nipped in the bud when a Haslanti first realizes that his horrible dreams come because he insulted or injured another person without meaning to do so then apologizes. Yet, mortals who practice violence without prayerful reflection earn Carrion Crow’s ire. Vendettas originating or acted upon while Carrion Crow sleeps through the winter may go undocumented for weeks, resulting in a fair number of reprimands and a few serious punishments every year. (The mortals should have waited.) If a worshiper prays for Carrion Crow’s direct intercession, she may take on a vendetta herself. She first uses Dreamscape to appear to and interrogate all concerned parties. If Carrion Crow decides that the petitioner’s desire for revenge arises from a genuinely heinous crime against him, she personally metes out appropriate justice as she deems fit. Carrion Crow then notifies all concerned mortals in their dreams that she has rendered her punishment, and she declares the vendetta resolved. As with the rest of the Ennead, however, Carrion Crow believes that mortals should usually deal with their own problems. She assumes a vendetta only when no mortal revenge is possible or to punish extraordinary crimes in humorously horrible ways. Although the Haslanti people see Carrion Crow as a god of nightmare, they do not necessarily fear her. They know full well that terrible things happen. While most Haslanti try their best not to anger Carrion Crow, they accept her nightmares and random disasters as a part of life. Carrion Crow appears as a naked old woman with pale skin, a crow’s head and black feathers on her arms and hands. Her hands are like a crow’s claws. She is the oldest and most powerful of the Triad of Dreams, having been a fixture in the lives of the Northern tribes for over 1,000 years. Sanctum: Carrion Crow’s nest in Creation is located on an island cave. It is a giant structure woven from the tightly packed live branches of massive growing trees, with hundreds of “rooms” on multiple levels. The area reeks of carrion and death and is overrun with carrion-eating beasts who feast on rotting flesh. Motivation: enforce the proper execution of revenge. * Snowshoe Hare Among Brambles is a large, white rabbit with enormous feet and gigantic ears, standing alone in a thicket. Though once regarded as only an Outwall spirit of very minor ability, he is now thought of as the principal dream-god of the Haslanti. His very form represents a desirable thing in a difficult place, yet one that can hear your approach and slip away without difficulty. The keeping of a dream journal is a sacred act for worshipers of Snowshoe Hare, and the discussion of dreams over breakfast are like prayers to him. The spirit is a god of good sleep, sweet dreams and flights of fancy. Thus, while not exactly a trickster, Snowshoe Hare Among Brambles is a god of possibility separate from reality. The dreams he sends can come true, but they cannot be counted upon. With the death of the former Haslanti dream god, Snowshoe Hare was promoted to the region’s principle god of dreams. He ensures good sleep and pleasant dreams, and reminds his worshipers that rest and relaxation are necessary for health and a full, meaningful life. Pregnant Haslanti women also pray to him nightly, as do laborers and hunters. The Haslanti believe that catching sight of him while dreaming means good luck, but seeing him in the waking world is a bad omen. Snowshoe Hare’s worshipers keep dream journals as a religious rite. Even more than most Haslanti, they seek visions of their destinies in their dreams. Snowshoe Hare has many responsibilities. In addition to administering the realm of sleep for the nation, he also crafts and delivers dreams for many fellow Haslanti gods, who rely on his expertise to communicate their wishes and warnings. (Most of the now-neglected Haslanti gods now need Snowshoe Hare’s favor if they want to send dreams. Other members of the Ennead can send whatever dreams they please.) Despite this vast workload, Snowshoe Hare sleeps often. While doing so, he can visit the dreams of anyone currently sleeping. Snowshoe Hare manifests as a large white rabbit with enormous ears and feet. Although he constantly moves from one job to another, he never seems hurried or overworked. Sanctum: Snowshoe Hare sleeps in many deep warrens throughout the Far North. Motivation: To promote the value of dreams and to provide peaceful sleep.